Destined
by BlueberryDynamite
Summary: He couldn't save the world. He lost friends, he lost families, he lost comrades. His weakness meant the revival of a goddess, and marked the end of all things. However, the Six of Sage Paths gave him another chance to right old wrongs. Why? Because he was destined to succeed. But changing the past isn't going to be easy. It never is. AU.
1. Prologue

Destined: Prologue

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki had no clue what in the world was going on. He remembered battling against Madara, and the nearly awakened Kaguya. He met the Sage of Six Paths, and the man said Naruto would not win. He was too weak, and too inexperienced to defeat the rising goddess. The Sage told him that he would die in this world. He, however, would not die in the next.

"Izanami. An ultimate doujutsu of the Sharingan, able to decide destiny, stems from its Rinnegan counterpart. But whereas the Sharingan governs the mind, the Rinnegan governs the world. It is with this, that I, Hagoromo Otsutuki, declare that you are destined for victory. Naruto Uzumaki, you shall not lose – no, perhaps I should say you cannot lose. Go forth, for your destiny has already been decided."

As Naruto felt the grasping roots of the Shinju take hold of him, he knew that this world was over. He had failed. The tree wrapped around him and covered his vision, plunging him into a world of pure darkness. He could see nothing. He could hear nothing. At first.

Then sounds of a battle faded into existence, and for a second, Naruto thought he was fighting Madara, and had been beaten down so hard he had lost consciousness. He fought to stand up, for his friends and the alliance. He struggled to open his eyes, assessing the current situation through narrowed slits. He, however, was confused by what he saw.

Kurama's orange fur glowed, illuminated by the torrents of fire that licked its feet. The forests of Konoha burned with the fury of a tailed beast. Its tails whipped around, flattening the land as it moved through the dense trees. And suddenly, Naruto was moving. Fast. Very fast.

The world around him blurred as he felt the familiar ebb and flow of walking through space. Naruto's eyes darted upwards to see his father, blonde hair, blue eyes and all. The man's face twisted into a grimace, his eyebrows furrowing as he stared at what was in front of him: his enemy, and Naruto's friend.

Naruto looked back at the Kyuubi and realized that they were eye to eye; he saw the faint tomoes of the Sharingan swirling in the fox's twitching eyes. The legendary doujutsu had wrestled command of the beast's rationality and thought, turning it into nothing more than a machine made to level the village of Konoha.

He must have been on top of Gamabunta, and Kyuubi must have been attacking Konoha, and his father must have sealed the fox into him, and -

And this is where his parents must have died.

Panic rose in his chest as he moved in an attempt to save his father, but he managed to do nothing but roll in his father's arm, his infant limbs flailing helplessly in the air. He was still an infant. What was going on? Regardless, Naruto knew his father was about to sacrifice himself. Naruto looked to the Kyuubi as if he wanted the fox to save his father. The fox's ecstatic eye locked onto his and they stared at each other – old friends who had lived, grown, and died together in a life long past.

The random eye movements had stopped, and the fox blinked once before both slitted pupils turned towards Naruto, the swirling madness of the Sharingan fading away from those eyes. In its place stood clarity. The fox's tails stopped whipping around in a flurry of destruction, and in an instant, the fox seemed at ease.

Minato seemed to not have noticed as he called for Gamabunta to hold down the Kyuubi as chains of chakra flew from nowhere, holding down the fox in place. Kurama looked around, just as confused as Naruto had been, his eyes darting side to side, trying to comprehend what was going on. His eyes locked onto Naruto's once more and the boy could see the emotion in his eyes. Fear, guilt, and regret.

He could see Kurama slowly breaking free of the chains – his mother's – as the fox's thrashing snapped link after link. Gamabunta grabbed hold of the fox with his webbed hands, and his father began channeling chakra. The final nail in the coffin.

'No! Kurama!' Naruto thought as he looked for anything that could save his parents, and his friend. That was not the demonic nine-tailed demon fox capable of nothing but hatred, hell bent on destroying anything and everything that stood in its path. That was Kurama, the lifelong partner who Naruto had promised he would cleanse of hatred. Determined, Naruto did everything to stop his father.

"Shiki Fu – Argh! What?" Namikaze Minato screamed as a sudden pain shot up his hand before he could finish the last seal to the Shiki Fuin. He quickly looked down to see Naruto, yanking on his fingers.

Despite his father's attempts to get Naruto to release his hand, the boy held on, knowing that each second he did was another second his parents were allowed to live. His distraction worked, and within seconds, Kurama had gathered enough energy to break free of the chains, and of Gamabunta's hold. In response, a tail descended upon Naruto, and another ebb and flow indicated he had moved again.

This time, Kurama was further away as it stared at Naruto, its single tail leaving a small crater where the trio used to stand. His eyes said everything. I'm sorry. Goodbye. Remember me.

Naruto blinked, raising his fist in the air the very same day they made their pact. He had made a promise, and even though he was confused by the situation, he knew one thing for certain; Kurama was his friend, and he would be damned to let anyone, even his father, imprison the fox.

Naruto continued to stare at the fox, arm raised, and slowly, the fox did the same. It was just the two of them. Two friends amidst a battlefield, remembering their promises to each other. They shared that silent vow. It seemed like an eternity had passed, but Kurama dropped his paw, and turned away before racing into the mountains.

He felt himself move again as this time, he was in front of his mother. And although she was dying with sweat dripping from her face and her vibrant red hair matted with blood, sticking to her hair, her eyes never looked more alive.

"Naruto. Minato, he's alive. You're alive. Our family is alive." Tears mixed in with the sweat and blood as Kushina began crying out of joy. Naruto reached his hands out for her. His father pushed him into his mother's arms as Kushina took him and hugged him close. Naruto never felt such happiness before. "Tell me, what happened?"

"I'm not even sure myself. Everything was going according to plan. I saw your chains, and Gamabunta held the beast down. I had the perfect opportunity to complete the seal, but before I could finish the last of the Shiki Fuin, Naruto twisted my fingers." Minato held up his hand. Two of his fingers, index and middle, were red and swollen. Naruto realized he must have fractured if not broken his father's bone.

"But he's a newborn baby." Kushina looked at her child. As if on cue, Naruto smiled, showing two rows of toothless gums.

"Yeah, but he's got one hell of a grip." Minato chuckled as he used his other hand to pinch Naruto's cheeks. "Anyways, the Kyuubi managed to break free as you saw and retaliate. I had to use the Hiraishin to escape. I was about to go for a second shot, but then that weird thing happened."

"You mean how he did that fist thing?" Kushina rose her fist out, imitating Kurama. Naruto laughed and did the same.

"I didn't know what it was up to. I thought it might have been another attack, so I didn't rush in. But you saw what happened next. It just turned around and left."

"You didn't do anything?"

"No. Nothing. It just raced off into the mountains by itself." Minato and Naruto turned to look in the direction of the mountains. Kurama had already disappeared in the night. Flames of its rampage still lay burning as smoke rose to cover the stars. It was a dark night, indeed.

"Well at least you're safe. Both of you." Kushina hugged both her husband and her son. "I was so worried."

"It's okay now. Kushina, you should rest. I'll take us back to Konoha after I let Hiruzen know what's going on." Minato warped away as Kushina lay there, drifting off to sleep with Naruto in her arms. The boy blinked into the gray sky, trying to make sense of what had happened. He was fighting against Madara, Kaguya. Then the sage of six paths. Then the Shinju. And now this?

Was this perhaps the result of his capture? The Infinite Tsukuyomi? It seemed like the most probable choice. Being forced to live out the rest of his existence in a perfect dream. Both his parents were alive, and they were a family again. This was the perfect dream. No pain, no loneliness, no sorrow. Yes, he was stuck in the Infinite Tsukuyomi. At least he was happy, right?

But then his mind began to wander towards his friend. Kurama had only recently joined his side, but the fox had been with him since the beginning of his life. And while their relationship was tense to say the least, Naruto knew the fox would always have his back. His back was the fox's back, after all.

They had fought, one supporting the other, and then when they had settled their feud, they fought together, side by side. It was as they say: brotherhoods are forged in the fires of war. Naruto was almost sure his and Kurama's little brotherhood would last a lifetime, but now without the fox's presence in the back of his head, Naruto felt a tiny ache in his chest. It was if some essential part of him was missing.

And while his mother was sleeping by his side, and his father was alive, Naruto could do nothing to shake the ever creeping feeling of anguish. For the first time in his life, Naruto felt truly alone. Pain, loneliness, sorrow.

With those in mind, Naruto began to doubt whether or not this was a genjutsu after all.

* * *

**Kumogakure: Raikage's Office**

"A-sama!" A Kumo shinobi burst into the Raikage's office, breathless. "A-sama. We –. Help –. Please –."

"Take a minute, soldier. Breathe." The Kumo nin took a few deep breaths. A reasoned the man must have ran all the way from the border patrols to be this tired. "Now tell me what happened."

"Sir, I came here as fast as I could. My squad was tasked to patrol the south-western perimeter. You won't believe it sir, but it's coming. We need to prepare, oh dear lord it's coming."

"What's coming? Boy, get a hold of yourself, and tell me exactly what's on its way here!" The ninja looked at A with fear in his eyes.

"The Kyuubi."

Silence descended upon the Raikage's office. Nobody moved as everyone tried to process exactly what the patrol had said. One of the other Kumo nins spoke up first.

"That's impossible. The Kyuubi was last seen attacking Konoha yesterday. There's no way it could be here."

"Not if it turned around and went straight for Kumo. Reports have been saying that Konoha was unscathed in the attack."

"You're saying the Kyuubi attacks Konoha, then backs off just to come to attack Kumo? You can't be serious."

"The patrol must have seen something wrong."

"And you must be stupid for trying to come up with an excuse!"

Shouts and accusations were thrown around as the Raikage's council room was thrown into an uproar. There were those that would not believe the new predicament, while others scrambled for A to respond to the imminent threat. All in all, they were getting under A's nerves.

"Silence!" The authority in A's voice washed over the councilers as each of them quickly shut their mouths. "That is _my_ ninja you are doubting. I trust his eyes over any one of yours, so prepare our forces. How long until it gets here?"

"Two hours best, sir."

"Then we don't have much time. Get B up here in my office. Yugito too. We may have failed to capture the Kyuubi before, but Kami is giving us another chance. Let's not waste this opportunity."

* * *

Kurama swiftly made his way up the mountains that surrounded Kumo. He ran this way, hoping that the Hachibi could help him. Maybe they would let him hide in their temple. Maybe.

Despite his large form, he slipped through cracks and crevices, clawing over the large rocks. As he traversed the difficult terrain, his mind began to wander back to Konoha.

After he and Naruto had been captured by the Tree of Life, Kurama thought that his life was over. The tree would drain the rest of his chakra as he merged back into the Juubi. However, that was not the case as the instant he felt the world turn to darkness, he had lost all thought and rationality.

It felt like something in his mind was gnawing its way through his thoughts. It pushed and pulled and mesmerized him as the swirling tomoes of the Sharingan appeared in his mind. He could do nothing but stare as the three tomoes spun round and round and round and round... Until he realized what was going on.

He had felt such a feeling before. The feeling of being controlled and imprisoned in his own mind. First Uzumaki Mito, then Kushina, and then a brief interlude by Uchiha Madara had freed his spirit. _Uchiha Madara_. That name was nothing but poison in his mind. His vision was narrow and he could barely see the outside world, save for those red spinning eyes.

But then something changed. His eyes managed to see past the darkness and the Sharingan, into the eyes, clear and blue. Just like an old friend.

_Naruto._ The fog cleared as the haze from the Sharingan was lifted from his mind. He blinked once, then twice, and his vision returned to normal. He could see everything again. The Kyuubi looked around, trying to find his bearing. It was dark, no it was nighttime. Smoke. Fire. Trees. A frog, and a man. _'Konoha.'_

Chains burst forth from the side, grabbing his tails and body and pulling it towards the ground. He could feel the familiar presence of his past jailor, Uzumaki Kushina, as her special chakra chains immobilized the fox. Kurama used his strength and flared his chakra, trying to break free. The chains were weaker than he remembered, and given a few more moments, they would shatter.

That was, until that old Frog latched onto him, and that all too familiar feeling of deja vu hit him. The demon clad in white. The man on the cross. Pain, darkness, and imprisonment. He poured more of his strength and chakra into breaking free of those wretched chains and frog. He could do it, although it seemed as if he wouldn't have the time. The moment that shinigami began pulling his soul, the Kyuubi knew he wouldn't have the strength to win.

The next few moments occurred in an instant. A blur. Kurama wasn't even sure what had happened.

A man's scream. Then he burst through the hold. The chains shattered and dissipated, freeing his tails. He swung one down on top of the Frog, slow enough for them to react, but dangerous enough for them to retreat. The Yondaime and Gamabunta flashed away. He had the perfect opportunity. Retreat, and recover.

Before he left, he looked once more at the Yondaime and that little bundle in his arms. Matching blonde hair, and blue eyes. He stared into those eyes, and saw the boy raise his fist. His mind took him back once more into that cage where a foolish mortal boy promised to absolve him of his hate. It was the moment he had opened those gates.

And this boy was the very same one who had tried to fulfill his promise, and was given the chance to try again. Acknowledging his container, and his friend, Kurama rose his fist in agreement. Yes indeed, they would try again. He was suddenly jerked out of his memory.

"Kyuubi!" A sudden burst of demonic chakra shot forward as Kurama moved to dodge, the Bijuudama clearing one of the mountaintops. Another smaller burst shot forth, and he twisted his body, the beam narrowly missing him. "It's been a while."

The owner of the voice stood in front of Kumo, his eight tentacles readied behind him. Alongside the Hachibi, stood the smaller form of the Nibi. She looked incomplete, and although two blue tails of fire swept behind her, Kurama felt something was missing. She wasn't as strong as he had remembered.

"Hey fox, I know you came to kill our brethren,

But when it comes to tails, two plus eight, that makes ten!"

Kurama could barely grumble at the awful rhyme before one of the Hachibi's tentacles swung to smash the fox into the mountainside. Kurama sent one his tails to block. Instead of attacking, the Hachibi's tentacle wrapped around Kurama's tail, bringing both of them down. Both Killer B and Yugito worked through each of their tails, one by one, pinning down the Kyuubi. Due to Yugito's incomplete form, she required both her tails to hold Kyuubi's one.

"Gyuki! Matatabi! What are you doing? Let me go! I need to talk!" Kurama struggled against the might of the two Bijuu, but unlike last time, he wasn't going to break it.

"You've got some gall coming here, Kyuubi. Calling us out like that. We'll talk after."

"After what?"

"Hm."

* * *

"Minato. Calm down, will you? You almost died trying to seal the Kyuubi. I don't need you to die choking on my cooking!" Kushina's irritated expression only served to cause Minato to laugh. The laughter, coupled with the copious amounts of food stuffed into his mouth, sent Minato into a coughing frenzy. Kushina pinched the bridge of her nose. "Sometimes I wonder why you're even the Hokage."

"Well. Ahem. You know I only choked because your cooking is so delicious." The Fourth cleared his throat, placing his bowl of noodles down. The porcelain bowl gently tapping on the wooden table, ringing out through the room. While their house wasn't especially large, it was more than enough to be called home. A few days ago, this house might have ended up unoccupied – lonely. Minato looked at his wife. "But you? How are you feeling."

"Much better." Kushina smiled. "After a few days of rest I'm as good as new!"

Minato watched the child in Kushina's arms clap happily as if he knew there were something to be happy about. Minato couldn't help but smile at the scene. This was the family he had always dreamed of. This was the family that he had risked his life to protect, and this was the family that –.

"Minato! Open up this door." Minato recognized that voice. It was a voice he knew far too well.

"I'm coming old man. Relax." The moment Minato opened the door, Sarutobi Hiruzen stepped in. The man held a scowl on his face.

"I apologize for intruding, but I have bad news." Upon hearing that, Minato's positive mood dwindled and his face became rigid and serious. More bad news? What was so 'bad' that Sarutobi Hiruzen had to personally come into his home instead of calling a meeting.

"What is it?"

"Kumo has successfully captured the Kyuubi."

* * *

**Konohagakure: Council Room - Post Assault**

"I applaud you, Hokage-sama. Your 'successful' defense of Konoha has allowed for Kumo to acquire our only Biju." Danzo's words broke the silence of the council room. As he spoke, his face twisted into a scowl.

"We never had any to begin with." Minato turned towards the man in bandages.

"Uzumaki Mito? Uzumaki Kushina? What were they?"

"Not Biju! Do not try to bring my wife into this, or you shall pay dearly." The Fourth Hokage stared into Danzo's cold eyes. The man cared not for sympathy or regret or emotion even. The only thing that mattered to Danzo was Konoha's rise to power. Military superiority. War.

"...It still stands, that Kumo now has 3 jinchuriki whereas we have absolutely none. They are the current superpower and there is little we can do to stop them." A few murmurs of agreement ran through the councilers. "These skirmishes with Kumo will escalate until they wage war against us."

"No. Nothing's changed. They might have 3 jinchuriki, but the Kyuubi can't be used for now. They have no means of controlling its power as of yet." Minato pulled out a scroll and unfurled it, allowing the entire council to see.

"A treaty?"

"We're ending this constant back and forth between us. There is no need for meaningless deaths for something so trivial as land." Koharu took the scroll and read it, meticulously searching the entire document for any loopholes in the agreement.

"Reasonable conditions. They can have the land, as long as Konoha is given priority in all trade along that route."

"Kumo wants the land because it holds cultural significance, dating back to their First Raikage. We simply need that route to pass our caravans through. They get their land, and we get our route. That's the main gist of it." Murmurs of agreement passed through the council. While the war with Kumo never escalated to a full scale invasion, small skirmishes along the border kept tensions high and death rates higher.

"We are scrambling to find some way to save ourselves from a humiliating defeat. Once pitted against three Bijuu, we can do nothing." Danzo spoke, his voice condescending.

"And I would agree." Minato looked at the warhawk. "If Kumo brought the force of three Bijuus, Konoha would be utterly crushed. As Hokage, it is my job to make sure Konoha survives, so if we need to scramble some sort of treaty before Kumo manages to control the Kyuubi, then so be it. At least Konoha survives another day."

"...As long as you understand, I have no objections."

"Good. Send this to the Raikage. Let's hope he's feeling generous."

* * *

Hey, thanks for reading Destined. I hope you've enjoyed the first chapter/prologue. Leave a review, and let me know what you think! Any comments or criticism is much appreciated.


	2. Chapter 1: Breathe New Life

Destined: Chapter 1 - Breathe New Life

* * *

**Training Grounds Seven – 12 years later**

Naruto stood motionless in the middle of the lake, his eyes closed and his mind empty. He could feel the natural chakra around him, and he tried to manipulate it – to move it. He gathered tiny amounts in his body, and then released it. Then he gathered it again, and released it once more. The key was to keep the amount of natural chakra tiny – he didn't want to turn into stone anytime soon.

But his concentration was broken by the tiny splashes and ripples of water dancing around him. No, it wasn't the water that was dancing. It was the shadowy figure that was dancing, hopping on the water around him in circles. His feet barely touched the surface before his image blurred and he reappeared in another spot. The figure darted back and forth, taunting him: challenging him.

Let it be known that Namikaze Naruto was not one to back down from a challenge. He watched as the figure continued to move around him, looking for that pattern. He watched the way his feet moved, and how the water rippled with every jump. Predicting the next move, Naruto too, leaped to the side. This time, both of them landing together, one in front of the other.

Naruto could see the man's brown cloak, his hood hanging over his hidden face. He turned to move once more, and Naruto followed. Reality seemed to blur and fade away. No longer did it seem like they were hopping around a lake. Instead, it seemed as though they were the ones in place, and the lake was the one moving beneath them. The water, the hills, the trees, the entire world shifted sporadically as Naruto and the hooded man leaped in place.

The man suddenly dashed forward, spraying water to the sides, his fist aimed directly at Naruto's head. The blonde reacted, snapping his body to the side. He was bent backwards at the waist with only two feet keeping him above the water: a rather precarious position. The figure knew it, and spun around, delivering a kick downwards. If Naruto blocked with his arms, the impact would easily throw him underwater. If he didn't, the impact might break one or two ribs, and then throw him underwater. Win-win scenario.

Or at least the man thought. While it was true that the impact from the kick knocked the air out of him, – the breathless _oof!_ rippling through the air, Naruto did not fall into the lake below. Instead, he grabbed the leg as it followed through, latching on and letting it drag him into a better position. Well, he couldn't exactly call it a better position. The way he grabbed it, and the way the man swung his leg made it so that Naruto was oriented head down, with his legs sticking up in the air.

Guess he had to make do with what he had. He pushed his arms onto the water, flowing chakra through them to keep himself afloat. He twisted his torso, wincing from pain as he did, and moved his leg in place. He then pushed off with all of his strength. The chakra being sent to his hands allowed for the water to act like solid ground, letting him push off and propel himself up as if he had popped up from a handstand. It was a strange kick that was completely unexpected. His foot moved closer and closer to the man's chin.

_Smack!_ Naruto grinned as he heard the sound. He hit his target, or so he had thought. The man's hand flashed upwards and he rested it under chin. It effectively acted as a bumper, absorbing the shock and protecting his face. All he had to do now was push downwards and –

_Splash!_ – Plunge Naruto right into the water. The blonde rose back to the surface, sputtering and gasping. It was difficult and painful to swim with a battered torso. A hand firmly grasped his collar and heaved him up, out of the water and onto dry land.

"Ouch. You know, I really thought I got you there for a second." Naruto grumbled as the man leaned him back on a tree trunk. The man pulled off his hood. "You know, mom's going to kill you if she finds out you broke one of my ribs."

"I was outright expecting you to block. And you're probably right, so I'm honestly hoping that I didn't. I didn't kick _that_ hard." The Yondaime reached into his cloak and pulled out a first aid kit. He pulled out some bandages as Naruto lifted his drenched shirt. Minato began wrapping the bandages around his son's torso. "But I will admit, that was some stunt you pulled there. I didn't expect it at all."

"Yet you still blocked it. Would've been better if I actually hit you."

"Battle-honed reflexes, my son. When you've been through a war, you learn some new tricks, and you'll never fight the same." Those words brought Naruto back to all of his fights, and how he evolved through each one. From Sasuke, to Pein, to Madara.

"...Yeah. I know what you mean..." Naruto quickly closed his mouth. He had said too much. Minato caught on, looking at Naruto with a skeptical eye.

"No you don't, but once you finally join a genin team, you might." Minato pointed to his headband. While Naruto easily qualified to be a genin, possibly even chunin, he had opted to stay a genin until the rest of his class graduated. Naruto had 'graduated' from the academy at the age of four, narrowly breaking Kakashi's record at the age of five.

Then again, it was almost like he was cheating. Being sent back in time with your memories intact was a bit unfair, and without Kurama's innate influence on his chakra pathways, Naruto's chakra control spiked exponentially. It was like learning to fight with a handicap, except now there's no handicap. Performing a bunshin was easy, as was the written exam. He probably knew more about history and the different countries better than the teachers, having talked to each of the Kages before in his past life. He even met face to face with Senjus Hashirama and Tobirama, the First and Second Hokages respectively. He doubted any of the teachers did that.

Passing the exam was a breeze, but Naruto didn't want to lose that connection with the rest of his classmates. After all, they were the ones who were the major factors in the upcoming future. He needed to stay with his generation, and work with them. That was why Naruto asked his father if he could remain a genin, but not be placed into a team for the next few years.

He had a reasonable excuse, and Minato agreed, letting Naruto remain team-less until the rest of his class graduated. That meant no missions, no homework, and extra training time. His father would teach him from time to time, but as Hokage, he was usually busy with work. Not that his less-than-frequent training sessions didn't help. In fact, they were some of the best, but Naruto couldn't wait until his parents were free to train.

Instead, he decided to train in the best way possible: fight the jonin of Konoha. His first engagement was with Might Guy. The man was at a bar with a few others, Asuma and Kurenai included. For some reason, Kakashi was never to be seen, even though Naruto remembered the silver-haired jonin would often spend his time at the bars, and reading his books. He disregarded the fact and went straight for Guy.

As he approached, the man smiled and waved. He wasn't expecting the eight-year old boy (at the time) to suddenly dash forward with the speed of a true ninja. In that moment of weakness, Naruto managed to both land a punch onto Gai's face, and shave off a single eyebrow with a razor he held in his hand. Needless to say, the loss of one of his bushy eyebrows was a heavy hit to Gai's 'youth' and the man proceeded to beat the living shit out of the blonde.

While Naruto saw each kick and punch being flung his way, his body was not strong enough to block them. Most of the time, his body would jerk to react, but his arms would only come up halfway in time, or his legs would just remain planted on the ground. Yes, he got hit almost every time, but he was happy that Gai didn't use even a fraction of his strength – just the speed. Had he not done so, Naruto would be nothing more than a pile of dust carried away by the wind.

After their little scuffle, which evidently resulted in Naruto being battered and bruised in almost every part of his body, Gai offered to give the boy some help. He could tell Naruto had talent – once again, a result of his time-travel. Naruto's perception and experience allowed his mind to register every hit. Now he only needed to train his body to be strong enough to dodge. More often than not, he pitted Naruto against his pupil, Lee in a taijutsu-only match. Naruto lost every time.

But taijutsu wasn't where Naruto excelled at. Yes, his hand-to-hand combat skills were good, especially after being trained by a specialist like Gai, but ninjutsu still remained his preferred weapon of choice. However, Naruto realized that his repertoire of skills was rather small. While he had many variations of the Rasengan, that and the Kage Bunshin were really the only few moves he ever used. Really, they were the only few moves he knew. Opting to change that, he decided to try and learn a few new techniques, and who better to learn them from than the Professor himself?

Sarutobi Hiruzen was a rather bored individual, being constantly nagged by his wife, Biwako. He was more than happy to help Naruto become a better ninja. He just never expected the sudden punch to the face as he opened the door.

Like Gai, the man known as the God of Shinobi passed down his knowledge down to those who were willing to accept it. Now that Naruto's chakra control was exceptional, he could finally learn jutsu like a proper ninja, or at least, as proper as Hiruzen would let him. The Sandaime would tell him to stay his ground, and fire off small weak elemental jutsus, and have Naruto counter each of them with the corresponding element. Whenever he failed, his eyebrows would be singed, his clothes would be wet, his face would be covered in dirt, his arms and legs would be covered in cuts, or his hair would stand on end. It was almost like torture, but not quite.

However, in time, Naruto did manage to pick up the key elements to being proficient at ninjutsu as he worked and fought with and against Hiruzen for the next few years. It took him a while – his intellect never really changed – but he eventually managed to increase his repertoire with a horde of new jutsus. He would only wait until the right moment to use them.

That essentially took care of his ninjutsu and taijutsu, however genjutsu was another story. He knew he was hopeless at casting illusions, preferring to go in headfirst and win, rather than skirt around with tricks. Even though he could've asked Kurenai to give him pointers, he decided not to. Instead, he spent that time regaining old skills in this new body: meditating and trying to play around with Senjutsu. He didn't want to turn into stone, so he only manipulated very miniscule amounts, just to get his body accustomed before asking Jiraiya for help in the future. It was what he was doing before his father interrupted.

His father interrupted him once more, this time snapping him out of his train of thought.

"Then in commemoration for your new genin team, and as an apology, and as a bribe so you won't tell your mother, I'd like to teach you this."

Minato held out his palm and let his chakra build into a swirling ball at the center of his palm. The Rasengan, next to the Hiraishin, was Minato's signature moves. It's a shame it was still incomplete. Minato had only begun to incorporate elemental chakra into the Rasengan. While it took a few thousand Naruto's a few months, Namikaze Minato had been working on this his entire life. But Naruto wasn't going to tell his father that he knew that technique, nor would he say he could take it a step further. That would damage his father's pride.

"The Rasengan."

"Correct. It's my own creation, and incredibly versatile. It should suit you well once you've mastered it." Naruto was glad his father had decided to approach this on his own. The boy was more than happy to be able to use one of his old skills again. Up until now, he had to keep his knowledge of it secret. How many questions would be thrown around if he suddenly showed up with a perfect Rasengan at the age of ten? What about showing up with a Rasenshuriken? Naruto mentally laughed. It would be so worth it, even if the Rasenshuriken would shred his own arm to bits..

"Then I'm ready to start."

"Good. However, this is an A-rank technique, so I believe this will take some time. It took me months to get it down myself." Minato then pulled out a water balloon from his coat pocket, and threw it at Naruto. "Catch."

Naruto caught the flying water balloon. He knew this trick. It was the same exact thing Jiraiya had done. 'Peace of cake.'

"Now watch me." Minato held up another water balloon in his hand. Not even a second later, multiple bulges appeared on the surface, and the balloon exploded. "Now you try."

Naruto grinned. This was such an easy task it was almost ironic. He wanted to see his father's face when he 'wowed' him. Naruto held up the water balloon with one hand, and with the other, began spinning the chakra. Multiple bulges began appearing on the surface, but before it could explode, Minato grabbed his hand.

"What are you doing?" Naruto looked at the water balloon. The water inside had stilled. That was not the reaction he was expecting. Where was the 'wow?'

"Uh, making it pop?" Minato rolled his eyes.

"If that's what I wanted you to do, I'd have given you a needle. You've got the right idea, but why are you using two hands?"

"Well, it's easier that way." Minato could only shake his head.

"Just because it's easier doesn't mean you should do it. In fact, the easier path is also the path that leads to more problems. Never take shortcuts. Do it completely, and to the best of your ability. Okay?" Minato let go of Naruto's hand. "Using the Rasengan with two hands limits what you can do. Against me, it would be as if you only had one arm. It's a handicap you don't need to give, and honestly, it's one you can't afford."

Naruto nodded. It was true. Having to wield the Rasengan with both hands meant limiting his actions. While he charged the technique, his opponent could be recuperating, or trying to kill him back. In the end, all it did was limit his options, and during a fight, having options was the key to victory.

The only reason he learned the Rasengan with two hands was because it was adequate enough for Tsunade's bet, and from that point forward, he never needed to learn it with one hand. He was able to blame his tenant for his chakra reserves and consequent lack of control, but now was no longer the case. Kurama was not sealed within him, and while he was naturally blessed by his mother and father with an incredible pool of chakra, it was nowhere near comparable to that of a tailed beast. If he could learn to control his chakra with a pool as large as Kurama's, then he had no excuse not to brush up and learn precision techniques – the one-handed Rasengan included.

He tried popping balloon again, this time allowing only his single hand to create he necessary rotations. The water in the ball began to move, but only in one direction. The water balloon swirled from side to side in a counterclockwise fashion. It was just like how it looked when he first started.

"Great! Now that's what I like to see! You'll get there, I'm sure. Tell me once you're done, and we'll move onto phase two." Minato stood up and took of his cloak, revealing his Hokage's robes underneath.

"Back to the office?" Naruto nodded towards his father as Minato put on his hat. It looked strange on the man. It didn't fit well. Perhaps it was the man's youth.

"Yup. Paperwork doesn't sign itself, you know. And please. Before you come home tonight, go to the hospital. I beg of you. Do _not_ let your mother find out. Please."

"Yeah, sure. I got it. Don't worry about it. I'll be fine."

"Ok. Sorry about it. Good luck, and keep practicing!" Minato disappeared in a flash. Naruto smiled. It was still simply breathtaking and amazing, seeing his father's Hiraishin. As his father left the area, Naruto leaned back and closed his eyes, focusing only on the water balloon. If an onlooker was to see him, it would look like a young boy resting in the shade. If they looked a little closer, perhaps they could see the convulsions of the balloon as it swirled underneath the summer sun.

* * *

By the end of the day, Naruto had made progress. The water balloon in his hand rotated slowly, first in one direction, and then a single bulge appeared as he created another rotation. Then a third, then a fourth. Every few steps, another bulge appeared on the surface of the water balloon until it eventually exploded, splashing water all over his hand. Naruto smiled.

The secret was not to focus on many rotations at once, but layer them on one at a time. His original tactic was the simultaneously create multiple rotations, however he soon realized that path led nowhere. It was impossible to create multiple rotations at once. Trying to push and pull his chakra in two different directions would only counteract the process and leave him with nothing. Instead, he would create a single rotation, and let it stabilize – the chakra would flow in that single path by itself after Naruto had already put the energy into spinning it. Once that had occurred, he could create a second rotation in a different direction and let it stabilize as well, each 'ring' of chakra independent. He piled on many more.

It was a relatively methodical process. Step 1, step 2, step 3. One, two, three, and repeat. Eventually, he could get so used to the one-two-three process that it would seem instantaneous – just like how his father and Jiraiya had done. And so Naruto continued to practice on the route home.

He had already visited the hospital and had the medic-nin heal his wounds. He was lucky his father didn't use all his strength and that a rib hadn't broken. It was times like these when he missed Kurama. Even when the fox wasn't in Naruto's mind nagging him about his weakness and failures while simultaneously helping him improve, Kurama worked in the background, keeping his body in perfect condition.

Broken bones would be mended within a day. Sore muscles in a few hours. Bruises and cuts would fade within minutes. Nowadays, he had to wait a few days for the bones to truly heal – medical assistance included. Sore muscles would stay the night, and bruises and cuts would slowly fade over the weeks. His lack of regeneration was different.

While he understood it was a clear advantage that only he had – minus the select few other jinchuriki – he had not realized life as a regular human being would be this difficult. No longer empowered by a tailed beast, he had to rely only on himself and his own natural abilities, and it was proving to be harder than he expected.

However, that wasn't going to stop him from becoming one of the greatest ninja, Kurama or not. There was a world that needed saving, and he would do it with his own strength. Protect his loved ones with his own hands, that was his nindo, his ninja way.

* * *

Naruto strolled down the streets the next morning, greeting people as he passed by. Every step, he heard his shirt ruffle over the bandages. The doctor had vehemently protested any form of strenuous exercise, training included, which is why Naruto found himself here. In front of a gate.

He pushed it open, and walked inside, letting the metal hinges creak at his entrance. While he couldn't train, he might as well visited someone who did.

"Mornin' Sasuke!" Naruto smiled as he waved to the Uchiha situated over the lake. The boy was practicing his clan's signature fire jutsu. At his greeting, the raven-haired boy merely turned and glared.

"Namikaze. What do you want?" Sasuke only nodded once as the blonde approached.

"Rude. I simply came to visit."

"And I am in the middle of training. I believe you're the one interfering." Sasuke turned back towards the lake, blowing out another fireball. After the flames died, he panted heavily. "Damn. It's still not strong enough, or hot enough."

"Obviously it won't be. You're exhausted." Naruto pointed towards Sasuke's shirt which was drenched with sweat. The boy had been practicing for quite a long time. "Take a break."

"My brother won't offer me a break." Sasuke turned to try again, but Naruto grabbed his arm before he could finish the hand seals.

"Yeah, but I'm not your brother." Naruto held on as he stared at Sasuke. He didn't let go until the Uchiha let his fingers relax, breaking the seal and technique altogether. Sasuke looked displeased, but Naruto didn't care. He wasn't about to let Sasuke fall into that hole again.

Knowing that the future was daunting. The pressure of knowing when and where certain people were going to die hung over Naruto like bodies being hung from the gallows. It was almost disgusting. The first time Naruto realized he should have acted, using his knowledge for the greater good, was during the Hyuuga incident.

Kumo had accepted the treaty his father created, and the years-long skirmish finally ended. A parade was held, just like before and even though his father was alive and the village was being run differently, it seemed as if it were an insignificant ripple in the river of time. Kumo had still tried to steal the Hyuuga heiress, Hiashi still slayed the offender, and Neji would still grow up with a hatred for the main branch.

And then the Uchiha Massacre happened. And once again, Naruto sat on the sidelines, watching as Sasuke was spared from death, becoming an avenger, hellbent on killing his brother. He could do nothing. As an eight-year old child, he did not have the influence to affect Konoha politics. As much as he wanted to, he could not reveal Fugaku's coup any earlier, lest his secret be revealed. The only option was to wait for Itachi to carry out his mission, and carry them out he did.

He wasn't about to let something like this happen a third time. No, he vowed to save whoever could be saved. Regardless of the consequences and how it would change time, Naruto wasn't about to let people who he knew die when they could have lived.

"I'm going back." Naruto snapped out of his mind as he watched Sasuke stand up. Had it already been that long? "I've rested enough."

Naruto didn't stop him as the Uchiha took his position once more at the shore of the lake. Sasuke channeled his chakra through each of the seals, one by one before blowing out a stream of fire. The flames cascaded, forming a large fireball that floated over the lake, but even then, Naruto could tell Sasuke was not satisfied.

"Still not enough. It's too wide. Itachi's was more focused, and hotter." Sasuke bent down and punched the ground in frustration, not bothering to care that his knuckles were now bleeding. The blonde thought for a moment before getting up. He thanked Hiruzen for teaching him the elements. Naruto only walked up slowly before lightly tapping the Uchiha's shoulder. Sasuke glared at the blonde.

"Do it again." Naruto said before taking a few steps back. Sasuke only stared as Naruto waited.

"What? There's no point. It's pathetic. I'm going inside."

"I said to do it again, and I will show you just how wrong you are." Sasuke ran up and grabbed Naruto's collar, bringing them face to face. Naruto remained impassive.

"You say I'm wrong? I've been training this technique for years. This is one of the few things that I have left of my family. I know its power. I know its strength. I know that what I have right now is not good enough, so don't come here telling me that I'm wrong." Sasuke seethed through his teeth. He knew there was something inferior about his fireball. Itachi's was concentrated. All of that chakra was condensed into a single burst of flame, radiating intensely with heat and power. It would turn water into steam, and trees to ash. That was a true Great Fireball. Sasuke's chakra was dispersed, creating a much wider blast of fire. Naturally, that also meant his fireball was less powerful. The flames would stretch far, and his chakra would be distributed throughout; his fireball didn't pack the same punch as his brother's.

"Please." Naruto pulled Sasuke's hands off, and took a step back. "I'm asking you. Please do it again."

"Why?"

"Because I wish to show you why you are strong. You believe yourself to be inferior, but I can see otherwise. All I ask is for a chance. One time."

One time. Sasuke spun around. He hated doing this technique. Everyday, he would try and try but it would never reach the level of his brother's. It was like a reminder of how he was weak. That was why he couldn't save his parents. That was why he couldn't save his family. His failure of a fireball was a testament to that weakness. But despite that, Sasuke molded his chakra and decided to do it one more time. Even though he hated it, and even though it brought bad memories, he would do the technique one more time.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" Sasuke took in a deep breath and expelled a stream of flame. He watched as the flames spread wide and thin. He could feel the warm heat from his technique. Whereas his brother's would cause people to avert their eyes from the light and the heat, Sasuke's was a dull warmth that covered the lake. There was no steam. There was no ash. And for a second, Sasuke believed himself to be a failure again. Then he heard a voice from behind him.

"Futon: Daitoppa!" A sudden gust of wind came from behind as Sasuke's clothes flew forward. He watched as the flames lit the air, creating a torrent of fire that Sasuke had to cover his eyes. He felt the waves of heat blasting his face as drops of sweat began streaming down his head. He could see a torrent of fire, moving across the lake as if it were a wall of flames being carried by the wind. Steam quickly rose as the heat evaporated the lake below, making it difficult to see. The technique died as it reached the end of the lake, singeing the nearby grass and trees.

"What was that...?" Sasuke could not turn around. He only stared as the mist began to clear, remembering the intensity of the heat that was on his face. Such power. It rivaled his brothers. No, in fact it surpassed his brother's.

"That was a combination. Your fire jutsu, and my wind jutsu. Your wide fire jutsu is able to catch the wind. A small concentrated flame like your brother's would likely be smothered out."

"You..." Yes, its power may have surpassed his brother's but it wasn't the Great Fireball technique the Uchihas loved and admired. It was a cheap trick that desecrated that technique. "I never asked for your help."

"Yeah? Well you're going to get it anyways. We can work together. Your brother doesn't stand a chance against both of us."

"No! You will do nothing, Namikaze. You will not offer your help. What you are doing is hindering my chances at avenging the Uchiha clan. You don't have the same drive – the same ambition – that I do, so I suggest you stay out of Uchiha business."

Sasuke walked back to his house, slamming the door as he entered. Naruto could only stand on top of that hill and wonder where in the world he screwed up.

* * *

**Hokage's Office**

"Hokage-sama. You called?" An ANBU appeared beside Minato, just as he finished the last of his paperwork. With the academy's graduation exam coming to an end, the offices were swamped trying to organize and allocate resources for the next genin teams.

"You know, you don't need to wait outside my door until I finish my work." He could sense the other ninja outside the door. The ninja waited until two small bursts of chakra came from the ANBU stationed in the darkness before coming in. "And you two. A small burst of chakra to indicate that I'm done? Subtle, and well done. Was this planned?"

"No, Hokage-sama." The two ANBU stepped out of the shadows of the office and bowed in apology.

"Then I applaud you. You have good subordinates, captain. But I'm going to have to ask for a private conversation." Minato nodded towards the two ANBU guards. The captain nodded, and without a word, both ninjas disappeared. "Now, really? That wasn't planned?"

"No sir."

"'Sir. Hokage-sama. Yes sir, no sir, may I have another sir.' Drop the formalities Kakashi. It's just the two of us." At his sensei's words, Kakashi took off his porcelain mask.

"Just the two of us. How ironic. Sorry, Minato-sensei." Kakashi looked down. While his face was covered, Minato could tell the man was having bad memories. 'Just the two of us.' He was referring to Rin and Obito.

"No, it is I who should apologize for reminding you of the past." At that, Kakashi nodded in thanks. "Now down to business. Kakashi, why are you in ANBU?"

"What?" The silver-haired ninja wasn't prepared for such a question. Was his sensei doubting his loyalty? "I'm not sure I understand."

"The question is, why are you here? For what purpose?"

"Because you are here."

"Only dogs follow through blind loyalty, and I know that you are more than your ninken. Do you truly wish to stay in ANBU?"

"...It is as you say. It's 'just the two of us.' As long as you are still here, Team Minato still exists. I am here as your guard to ensure that it stays that way." Minato smiled.

"So then you hold onto the memories of your friends. I am the last living thing on this world that reminds you of our past. Is that what you're thinking?" Kakashi bit his lip before nodding. He wasn't one to lie to his sensei, or cover up his intentions. He wasn't in ANBU for Konoha, or to protect the village. The only thing he truly wanted to protect was that memory of his friends – the ones who sacrificed themselves so that the world might be a better place.

"I'm sorry to say it is."

"And Itachi?" That name struck a chord in Kakashi's mind. He remembered going to the compound the night of the massacre and seeing all of the corpses left in his friend's wake.

"...A friend I failed."

"I see. Then I, Namikaze Minato, 4th Hokage of Konohagakure, hereby relieve you of your service."

"What?" Kakashi was shocked, stunned even. He only stared at his former sensei in confusion.

"You have been in service for far too long, my friend. I applaud you for your superb work in the ANBU forces, and as my personal guard, but I believe it is time you found a different purpose in your life. Let the dead rest in peace."

He had been in ANBU for over a decade, going on missions, butchering enemies left and right. And while he was one of the best, each mission chipped away at his heart. He had become disillusioned and yet remained in service for his sensei's sake. Even after his friend's betrayal, he stayed not for himself, but for his friends. Perhaps this was an opportunity for him to find his own purpose again, instead of fighting to keep the dead alive.

"Very well. My thanks."

"Don't thank me yet. It's not like you won't have anything to do around here. I'm appointing you as a jounin-sensei."

"A team? You want me...to take on a team?"

"I believe it will be a good experience for both you and the students. You've been a solo operative for far too long. Shinobi turn off their emotions in order to protect themselves. You and I are no different, but these new rookies have yet to experience that. Perhaps they can give you a little of your humanity back. Likewise, they will flourish from your experience." Minato held out his hand and Kakashi returned his mask. He wouldn't be needing it any longer. "The three-men cells were for more than just training the next generation of genin. Old ninjas are renewed, while new ninjas are born. Let this experience reignite your will of fire."

Minato pulled out a slip of paper from his pile and slid it over towards the now-Jounin.

"This is your new team."

Namikaze Naruto, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke

* * *

Hey, thanks for reading the next chapter. Yes, I kept Team 7 the same _however_ they will not act the same. Naruto might seem kickass for a genin, but he gets stomped on an every day basis by the jonins, so don't worry about him being ridiculously broken. He's got a long way before that happens.

As for Kurama, somebody said an Uzumaki was needed to seal it. I'm not sure where it says that, because I had no clue, but it doesn't matter. Kurama will appear again later on in the story, and I assure you, Kumo has ways of keeping a leash on their beasts. Even if there are...complications.

Anyways, favorite/follow if you like the story, and please leave a review. Any comments/criticism is much appreciated.


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